Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

God Keeps Pouring His Love {No Matter What Monday}

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Romans 5-5b

Romans 5:5: And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

When I was a kid, I swore I’d never say this to my kids: “Because I said so.” I love information. I love explanations. I love knowing all the reasons why.

And yet, sometimes I simply don’t have time to explain. My kids just have to take my word for it. Despite my childhood convictions, they’ve heard me say “because I said so” countless times!

When it comes to faith, sometimes we simply have to take God at His Word. We obey or believe because He said so.

But there are other truths that God doesn’t ask us to blindly believe. In His kindness, He gives us evidence. The hope we’ve been discussing for the past few weeks falls into this latter category.

God proves to us that our hope will endure through suffering and will not put us to shame. The proof is the outpouring of God’s love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 5:5 reminds us that we’ve been given a gift Who keeps on giving. The Holy Spirit is given at our conversion. Then throughout the Christian life, He keeps on pouring God’s love into our hearts.

God gives the Holy Spirit as Exhibit A in His testimony that our hope is not in vain. The Spirit pours love into our hearts over and over and over again, reminding us that the One who redeemed us will never leave our side.

No matter what we face this week, God keeps pouring out His love into our hearts, proving to our weary souls that our hope is certain and true.

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Nothing Can Separate You From God’s Love {No Matter What Monday}

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Nothing

I have planned my husband’s funeral countless times.

My husband is a perfectly healthy forty-something-year-old who has never been in a life-threatening situation that I’m aware of.

But sometimes he is late coming home from work.

When he’s late coming home from work, I start to think he’s dead on the side of the road.

And when I start to think he’s dead on the side of the road, I mentally plan his funeral. If he’s really late, I might even brainstorm some of the hymns we’ll sing.

Sometimes I try to make myself feel better by telling myself that surely he just got one more phone call on his way out of the office. But the reality is that I’m not guaranteed to grow old with my husband. Sometimes telling myself the worst won’t happen doesn’t quite calm my fears.

But one truth that can calm my fears is this: no matter what, nothing can separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus. The matchless, unfathomable love of Christ is a guarantee I can cling to.

What are you facing this week? What are you afraid of? Can it separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus?

Filter your challenges and fears through this test:

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:38-39

We face many losses in this life, and they are heartbreaking. But we will never face the loss of His love.

No matter what you face this week, nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

 

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How Deep the Father’s Love

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This summer I studied the attributes of God with a wonderful group of women using Behold Your God, by Myra Alexander.  (I highly, highly recommend this study.)  It amazes me how God ordained the events of the summer of 2009 for me and for my family, and He knew exactly what I would need to learn about Him in the midst of those circumstances.  He knows our every need and provides for them all!

One thing that stood out to me from the study is the nature of God’s love toward us.  God is perfectly loving and good, and He also does not and cannot change.  (See Jeremiah 31:3 and Malachi 3:6).  That means that God’s love for you is always exactly the same.  He is just as good to you today as the day He nailed your sin to the cross with His Son.  It is easy to flippantly say, “God is good all the time.”  But honestly, it feels like there are some days that God’s goodness is a little less prevalent in our lives.  With our narrow vision, with our earthly perspective of what is and isn’t good, God’s goodness seems to vary.

But when God tells us about Himself in Malachi 3:6, He says He does not change.  His goodness does not waver.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus–His perfect, steadfast, unchanging love.

I thought of this today as I was singing “How Deep The Father’s Love For Us.”  This is one of my all-time favorite songs.  It is a powerful reminder of the love God showed when He turned His face away from his dying Son in order to transform rebellious people like me into His sons and daughters.  And He shows me this exact same love and goodness every day of my life.  He is just as loving today as on the day He set me free from sin, guilt, death and hell.  Praise Him for this wonderful truth!

“How Deep the Father’s Love for Us”

Words and Music by Stuart Townend

How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure,

that He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face away,

as wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon the cross, my sin upon His shoulders;

ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished;

His dying breath has brought me life–I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything, no gifts, no power, no wisdom;

but I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward?  I cannot give an answer,

But this I know with all my heart; His wounds have paid my ransom.

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